Top Dogs pay a visit to the Riverside Manor Retirement Village
SUNNINGHILL – Top Dogs is currently looking for volunteers who are willing to become involved with therapy dog visits.
On 23 February six volunteers, as well as their four-legged companions, from the Touch our Pets (Top) Dogs non-profit organisation conducted their monthly visit to the residents of Riverside Manor Retirement Village in Sunninghill.
It was a chance for the residents, all aged over 55, to interact with the therapy dogs and enjoy the companionship and comfort of interaction with an animal.
Top Dogs conducts these types of visits to the sick or injured in hospitals, schools and children who have been sexually abused and need to testify in court as well as to retirement homes. Studies have shown that this type of interaction with therapy dogs can lower people’s stress and make them happier.
“We usually start our frail care visit in the lounge of the care facility, where residents will gather for the visit,” explained Diane Logie, a Top Dogs board member who brought her dog Hayley on the visit.
“We then go to individual rooms for people who aren’t able to get to the lounge, or just don’t want to.”
Three of the volunteers also made a special visit to one resident, Denise Modena, who had recently lost her own pet Yorkie, Sally, after 13 years of ownership.
“I got her when she was about three years old and she stayed with me until she passed at 16 years old,” Modena told the Fourways Review.
“It was difficult to lose Sally, but one’s just got to adjust. It was so special to get a visit from the three dogs – I was thankful for the time with them.”
According to Logie, Top Dogs is currently looking for volunteers who are willing to become involved with therapy dog visits. “We definitely need more handlers. You can use your own dogs, they don’t need to be specially trained or anything. Just as long as they are friendly with other dogs and people and are reasonably well behaved and obey.
“I think the dogs bring such joy to the people they visit, they provide companionship and of course lots of smiles from the people who interact with them.”
Human volunteers must attend a number of Top Dogs visits as an observer, volunteer dogs must undergo an evaluation and the pair must undertake six probationary visits before they can qualify as therapy dogs for the organisation.
Details: Therapy Top Dogs www.therapytopdogs.co.za; info@therapytopdogs.co.za; the Therapy Top Dogs Facebook page
